The New Black
by geradsredskittle666
Summary: Set in season 4. Zombie -human tensions are rising. Liv experiences anti-zombie discrimination. She falls into a deep depression. Can Ravi save her? Warnings: discrimination, depression, references to intent to kill zombies, references to zombie genecide, zombie hate crimes, eating issues, gun violence. Pairings: Liv/Ravi friendship.
1. Chapter 1

**The new black**

 **Disclaimer:** I don't own iZombie or any of its characters or other property. I do not make profit off this work and do not intend to. This works purpose is entertainment.

 **Warnings:** discrimination, depression, references to intent to kill zombies, references to zombie genecide, zombie hate crimes, eating issues, gun violence

 **Spoilers:** Set in season 4. May need to have seen to at least season 3 to avoid spoilers.

 **Pairings:** Liv/Ravi friendship

 **AN:** Set during Season 4

 **START**

Liv ignored the stares when she walked to her car. She ignored the offensive objectifying gestures some zombie men gave her. She ignored the offensive spray painted slurs and threats she saw on her way to work.

She didn't turn on the radio because she expected no different. This new zombie city had the same problems the human city did.

As she walked into work she ignored the posters showing a raged out zombie and listing the warning signs. Telling the world how dangerous they were and how to kill them. The cross of a sniper rifle sight over a raged out zombies head.

It made her feel sick.

Sure the violence in zombie killings disturbed her but now the zombie hunters didn't have to hide a crime. The zombie hunters weren't lumped in with fringe lunatics. Because zombies were real.

She could have 'dyed and tanned', but really it felt like a lie. This is what she looked like now. She was a zombie. That was only the truth. If her pale skin and hair didn't give her away, her pulse would.

Her phone vibrated. Ravi. 'Where are you?' he had texted.

'Outside the police station. Sorry I was late, had to deal with some anti-zombie idiots.' she replied.

'Would a coffee make it better?' he replied.

She smiled. Ravi knew what she needed to feel better. 'Yeah, meet you outside?' she texted.

He appeared, looking pleased to see her. At least someone was...

"Shall we?" he asked with an excited grin, holding out his hand.

She frowned. "We discussed this. You don't want to be seen as a sympathiser to one of us. Trust me, it sucks" she said firmly.

But he still held out held out his hand and she couldn't refuse him. So she grabbed his hand. It was safer for her anyway, but it made him a target.

They walked into the coffee shop. Immediately the crowd parted and glared at her. They ignored him, she was more a threat than a sympathiser. He was upset but tried to smile and be kind. "Look, I'm buying. Completely human. See?" he spoke, offering out his arm.

The owner nodded and he managed to place the order. He noticed that while she looked morely uncomfortable, she was frozen in fear. If just one human had a gun here...if they decided killing her was worth it...

He grabbed the coffees and left, practically leading her away from the gathered humans. "I'm sorry Liv. It will get better, just wait for the humans to get used to zombies." he reassured.

They made it to the office, only getting stares, glares and some muttered insults. Ravi looked big and strong. Picking a fight with her meant picking a fight with him. The raged out zombie stories helped her too. Made unprepared humans wary before violent.

"We are safe here. The police upstairs would help." he assured.

She didn't point out the flaws in that logic. She wanted his optimism to be right. So she just smiled in reply.

She didn't tell him about the anonymous threats she received between the files she received. Or the threats some officers made that they wouldn't cause harm to her but wouldn't stop it. Or the comments that her only use around the station was as eye candy. Some had offered protection detail in exchange for sex.

She just picked up the day sheet detailing the expected bodies to arrive and work still to be done. He knew she wasn't telling him everything but now wasn't the time.

They finished late. It was a depressing day. Three of the bodies had been zombies. All killed in the human-zombie violence of late.

She and Ravi prepared to go home. They had started living togther. It was safer than Liv living alone. The alley was empty but that didn't mean they were safe.

He heard the human before he arrived, hand gun in hand. Aimed at her head. "You dead types are disgusting. Brain eaters. I would be doing my civic duty to rid the world of you." he threatened.

She didn't know how to react. Pre zombie world, she would have raged out. Then blamed any witness to her raged out zombie eyes as crazy. Now, zombie-human tensions were too high. She would just prove that she was a dangerous zombie and give him an excuse. So she took a deep breath and faced him. "What do you want?" she asked.

Beside her Ravi pulled something from his belt. She recognised it instantly. A gun. Where did he get that? When? "I suggest you turn around and leave." he said with unnerving calm.

The man backed down. "I'll get you next time, freak!" he yelled before running.

Ravi put the gun away and they walked to the car.

It was a relief to get home. Her room was more appealing than ever.

"I'll start dinner. Want to put on a movie?" he asked, if was an option. Watching tv wasn't. Anti-zombie propagana played. Shooting ranges or gun companies played ads where they showed their products on zombie head targets. Once that might have been a fun laugh...now it had sinister overtones. 'Buy my guns so you can kill zombies'.

She nodded numbly...she didn't feel like watching a movie but they both knew sleeping wasn't an option. So she picked out a movie and put the disc in. She zoned out, trying to put the events of the day out of her mind. Trying to ignore the impact all this anti-zombie violence was having. She had almost died today. For being infected with the zombie virus. Nothing more.

"Whats wrong? Speak to me." he prodded.

She broke and with it came her tears. She was sobbing hard and had him in an iron grip. He rubbed her back, letting her cry it out. Then she told him everything. The looks and comments in the street. The fact she had to order her groceries online or shop when it was late. The fact she couldn't even order coffee. What she was facing at the police station. Everything.

He didn't know what to say. "Its not fair." was all he could come up with. He couldn't tell her it was all okay...she would face the world again tomorrow. The same unfair world. He couldn't tell her it would be okay...who knew what this world would bring?

He only experienced a fraction of what she did. He was human. And he got his share as a zombie sympathiser but that was nothing like being an actual zombie. Being seen as a monster... feared... attacked for no reason. Killed.

It was all good and well being one Chase's zombie army. They had authority. They didn't need to be liked. Even then, there was more news everyday on attacks on them.

Liv was so much more than a mere monster. A hungry wolf to be killed for killing the sheep. She had even learned to resist zombie mode. She should have raged out at the gunman but hadn't so much as shown anger. She knew what was at stake.

This wasn't fair. So he held her tight and promised to protect her. He couldn't help the anger on her behalf. If he couldn't resist when he merely heard these acts, how much self control did she need?

If only he knew it would get worse...


	2. Chapter 2

**The New black**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own iZombie or any of its characters or other property. I do not make profit off this work and do not intend to. This works purpose is entertainment.**

Warnings: discrimination, depression, references to intent to kill zombies, references to zombie genocide, zombie hate crimes, eating issues, gun violence

Spoilers: Set in season 4. May need to have seen to at least season 3 to avoid spoilers.

Pairings: Liv/Ravi friendship

AN: Set during Season 4

START

It killed him to see her like this. Liv had been full of life and unafraid of anything or anyone.

Now she barely spoke to him and just flat out didn't speak to anyone else. She hid her emotions. She showed no passion. Not about her favourite tv shows. Not about movies. Not about anything. Except her work. Her work seemed to stir some spark... however small the spark.

She didn't talk back, fight or rebel against anyones treatment of her. She just gave her new lifeless stare and carried on as if no one had said or done anything. It was more than unnerving. It was scary. Worse than when he had first met her. At least she had sarcasm then!

Did she believe she was a monster again? Like before?

She barely even fed, unless he made her brain food.

It was like she wasn't there anymore. Just a vacant body.

It broke his heart. She had let this world in all its zombie hatred break her.

They worked in silence, getting things done and making reports. Since she had confided in him, he took the reports up. When any officer other than Clive was there, she hid away in the office doing paperwork. So far no officer had harassed her again. Still the damage had been done.

He was doing all he could to shield her from the world. When they went home, he checked for all the likely threats. He kept his gun close.

RRLRLRLRLRLRLRLRLRLRLRLRLRLRLRLRLRLRLRLRLRLRLRLRLRLRLRLRLRRL

When they got home, Ravi got the mail. It was a mix of bills and hate mail, except for an official looking letter for Liv. The hate mail got binned. He didn't even bother looking at it.

Together they opened it. It was from Liv's mother. The family lawyer had written to inform that Liv had been disowned and removed from the will. That she wasn't to contact them or see them ever again. Due to her "condition". This wasn't the first time a zombie had been disowned, thrown out or left out of wills. It wouldn't be the last. The letter did include one final cheque, "For her pain and suffering" it said. More likely to avoid a law suit.

Ravi had been angry but Liv just pushed the letter away, crying silently. It was official now. She had suspected as much when they had cut contact years ago. That stung but she could have chalked that up to anything and there had still been hope. Now? Legal proof she had been rejected from her family. She couldn't ignore it. It was final. Her mothers final words hit her harder than before. 'I think you should go' she had said. Her brother said said 'I don't want to see you again'. Well her former family.

Who did she have now? Peyton? She was busy. Far too busy. And her job was high ranking...zombie sympathisers didn't stay in jobs like that.

Clive? He had his own troubles. The zombie hating cops gave him all kinds of hell. He had been marked as a sympathiser from the start. For working with her.

In any case, neither had contacted her in a while and neither should.

"I'm sorry. You deserve better." Ravi said sadly. "You know something? I don't think others can see how great you are! How caring! How selfless! Being a zombie doesn't make you unworthy of basic respect." he said suddenly angry. "You still have family. You have me. I won't leave you like the others have." he promised fiercely

She smiled and how he savoured that smile. "Maybe...but whats the point if this is all there is for me?" she asked quietly. "I can't solve crime. I can't even buy a cup of coffee! What use am I?" she asked.

"No. Liv! You can't think that!" he replied, sounding more frightened than anything. "Don't leave me." he begged. "I couldn't tell you what the point is but losing you...I couldn't. I just couldn't. Why can't I be the point?" he asked. "I can help you...you are the point...for me I mean. You are everything to me. Can't you...just try?" he confessed.

She paused, thinking. "Okay." she conceded.

He was relieved. "We will work it out. Even if we have to find some place safer. Even if we live underground on stolen brain tubes...we have to try.

That night they had come home. A red 'Z' had been spray painted in the door and the phrase "Go back where you came from". Windows had been smashed in.

He knew they had to find a safer place. So he took her hand and they packed up what they could. When the car had been packed, he called a number he thought he would never have to. After a brief conversation, they left the home. It would likely be burnt to the ground by the time they ever saw it again.

Liv fell asleep on the way there. She had never felt so uncertain. Even when her family had turned there back on her, she still had friends. A home. Now she has a suitcase, a duffle bag and Ravi. It was all too much.

When she woke they had arrived at an unassuming house in what looked like a farm. Or what used to be a farm. "Remember when I was telling you how I was always warning the CDC about human made viruses? I had this place built to with stand everything. A horde of hungry zombies wouldn't be able to get in. Even before all the security measures. Lately I have been stocking up brain tubes. Even the occasional brain. Since this zombie thing turned very real. Its fully stocked as far as food goes and has everything we need." he stated calmly.

She didn't say a word but looked curious. That was more life than usual but it still concerned him. He drove into the garage. "Welcome home." he said but it sounded hollow. Neither one could believe what this had come to.

The inside of the home was warmer than she expected. It turned out the brick facade with windows was fake. Metal lined the inner walls. It would keep out zombies and even Graves himself. It would keep out Blaine even.

He showed her to her room, clothes already lined the closet and there was a large supply of bedding and blankets. She dropped her bags on the floor. "I'm sorry" she almost whispered. He frowned, pulling her close. She was sobbing into his chest. He didn't catch her muffled unintelligible words but she sounded guilty. When her tears finally subsided, she looked exhausted but didn't want to part. He gently separated them. "Get dressed for bed and I'll see you in a moment, okay?" he gently prompted.

When he returned, both were dressed for bed. They slipped into the bed and he pulled her close, tightly holding her. She finally fell asleep, more relaxed than she had been all week. She was finally safe.

She slept through the morning and finally stirred when it was well into the afternoon. Even after so much sleep, she refused to leave his arms. He was more amused than concerned. He hadn't seen this stubborn look in a long time and it comforted him greatly. "Sleep in then?" he teased.

She smiled in amusement but didn't comment. He hadn't expected words. Not this soon. Even this expression of emotions was more than he expected.

When they finally got up, he made breakfast for them and watched her eat it disinterestedly. Still she actually ate. That was something.

There was hope.


End file.
